Hunting animals has been a vital activity since man first walked the earth. Trophies from the hunt, being body parts from animals, are displayed with pride by hunters and animal-lovers alike. The taxidermy industry was developed to meet the desire to display such hunting trophies. Traditionally, animal trophies such as antlers, animal heads, and the like, were mounted on plaques attached to a vertical surface such as a wall. However, this approach suffers at least two serious drawbacks. First, mounting a hunting trophy in this manner requires that a person lift the trophy and mounting assembly above their head to attach it to a wall, an operation that normally takes two people standing on ladders. This poses a significant risk of injury to those engaging in this operation, since they can easily fall from the ladder onto a hard floor.
Another shortcoming is that mounting a hunting trophy on a wall presents the trophy at a distance from admirers. The trophy will often be mounted above the height of most people, preventing them from closely examining the hunting trophy.